At a glance: The proposal review tool scores an SEO, website or Google Ads proposal out of 100 against eight written criteria and generates a question to ask the proposal provider for every missing criterion. The weights come from the scoring template in our guide to choosing an SEO agency . The red flags are based on Google’s guide to choosing an SEO specialist, its spam policies and its Google Ads third-party policy. The tool runs in your browser; selected answers are not saved.
Proposals are often compared solely on their monthly fee. Yet very different work can sit behind the same fee: one specifies the work to be done each month, the report headings and who will retain the accounts, while another says only “SEO work” or “corporate website.” This tool measures how much of the proposal is documented in writing. Verbal promises do not count toward the score, and a criterion never mentioned in the proposal is treated as the lowest option.
Proposal review tool
First select the type of proposal, then for each criterion select the option stated in the proposal text. A criterion never mentioned in the proposal is treated as the lowest option; verbal promises do not count toward the score.
Video transcript
How clear is an SEO, website or Google Ads proposal? The proposal review tool scores the proposal out of one hundred against eight written criteria. First, select the type of proposal. Then, for each criterion, select the option stated in the proposal text. The result shows a score and questions to ask about the missing criteria. Some criteria act as thresholds. If ownership of the account, domain name or advertising account remains at the lowest level, the result is shown in red even when the overall score is high. The red flags are based on Google’s own documents: promises of first place, management fees not disclosed in writing and customer IDs withheld when requested are among the main examples. The tool runs entirely in your browser; it requires no registration and the selected answers are not sent anywhere. The resulting questions can be copied with one click and forwarded to the proposal provider. The tool itself and an explanation of its criteria are on the page. You can contact us on WhatsApp to read through a proposal together. Onur Freelance dot com.
How does the proposal review tool calculate scores?
There are eight criteria for each type of proposal. Each criterion has three options, worth 1, 3 or 5 points. The points are multiplied by the criterion’s weight and divided by 5; the total for the eight criteria gives the proposal’s score out of 100. For example, for the scope criterion with a weight of 20, the best option earns 20 points and the middle option earns 12 points.
- 80 and above: The proposal is documented in writing and can be compared with other proposals. A few remaining missing criteria can be clarified before signing the contract.
- 60–79: The basic criteria are present, but there are significant gaps. We recommend making no decision until the resulting questions have been answered in writing.
- Below 60: The proposal is unclear in its current form. The scope and ownership first need to be put in writing.
Some criteria act as thresholds. If methodology and account ownership in an SEO proposal, domain and hosting ownership in a website proposal, or advertising account ownership and the separation of budget and management fees in a Google Ads proposal remain at the lowest level, the result is shown in red even if the total score is high. The same rule applies when an item from the red flag list is selected. A problem with these criteria can have consequences that are difficult to reverse, such as losing accounts, a domain name or historical data when the relationship ends.
Which criteria are reviewed in an SEO proposal?
The eight criteria for an SEO proposal are written scope, methodology and compliance with Google’s rules, measurement and reporting, account ownership, the person doing the work and communication, relevant experience, contract and exit terms, and the balance between fees and scope. Written scope has the highest weight because the basis for comparing proposals is the list of work to be performed each month.
Ranking guarantees are among the main red flags. Google’s Do I need an SEO? guide states this explicitly: no one can guarantee a first-place ranking on Google. The same guide also warns against claims of a “special relationship” with Google and “priority submission” services. Methods such as buying links and creating almost identical pages for every district are listed among examples of violations in Google’s spam policies . The forms that promises of guarantees take in proposals are also discussed in our guaranteed SEO services article.
To understand where a fee sits in the market, you can use the 2026 SEO prices market research , which brings together agencies and specialists that publish their prices openly. The complete set of questions to ask during a meeting is in our how to choose an SEO agency guide.
Which criteria are reviewed in a website proposal?
Ownership is the issue most often overlooked in website proposals. When the domain and hosting are registered in the provider’s name, transferring the domain after parting ways may remain dependent on that provider’s permission. That is why domain and hosting ownership is a threshold criterion. Having the renewal fee payable from the second year onward stated in writing in the proposal is also part of the same criterion.
The other criteria cover who will supply the pages, copy and images, administrator access and the handover list, mobile compatibility and basic SEO infrastructure, timeline and revisions, theme and plugin licenses, maintenance after delivery and the payment plan. If the source of the images is unclear, an unlicensed photograph taken from the internet may later become the subject of a copyright claim. A website built on a closed system that cannot be migrated may have to be rebuilt from scratch when you want to work with another provider.
The distribution of website fees is presented in the 2026 website prices market research, while our own packages are listed on the web design prices page.
Which criteria are reviewed in a Google Ads proposal?
A Google Ads proposal has two threshold criteria: whose name the advertising account is opened in, and whether the advertising budget is kept separate from the management fee. When the account is opened in the agency’s name, conversion history and learned data do not stay with the business when the relationship ends, and the new account starts from scratch.
Google’s third-party policy explicitly requires three things from providers managing advertising accounts on behalf of others:
- If a management fee is charged in addition to Google Ads costs, it must be disclosed to the customer in writing, at least before the first sale.
- When costs are reported, the full amount charged by Google must be shown, excluding the provider’s own fees.
- The customer must be given their Google Ads Customer ID when requested.
The tool’s other criteria are conversion measurement, campaign structure and targeting, search term review, reporting, the contract and the person doing the work. Guarantees of a specific number of clicks or sales are also red flags; results depend on the budget, competition and the website itself. The market range for management fees is explained in the Google Ads management fees research, and the difference between a specialist and an agency is discussed in the Google Ads agency or freelancer article.
How do you compare more than one proposal?
Each proposal is scored separately in the tool and the result is recorded. For a consistent comparison, proposals are scored on the same day by the same person. Ranking starts by examining the threshold criteria: a proposal at the lowest level for a threshold criterion is removed from the list even if its score is high. Among the remaining proposals, the score and fee are evaluated together. It makes sense to choose the cheaper of two proposals with similar scores; if the difference in scores is large, the difference usually lies in the written scope and reporting.
What should you do when the score is low?
A low score does not mean the proposal is bad; it means the proposal is not documented in writing. The “Questions to ask the proposal provider” list on the results screen can be copied and sent in writing to the company providing the proposal. Once the answers received are written as an addition to the proposal, the tool is filled out again and the score usually changes. A company that avoids answering a question in writing will also leave the same criterion blank in the contract.
For problems with a previous provider withholding access, the previous agency is withholding access guide offers step-by-step guidance.
Limitations of the tool
- The tool measures how clear the proposal text is; it does not guarantee that the provider will do the work well. Reference checks and a meeting are still necessary.
- The fee does not directly contribute to the score. Research pages can be consulted to understand where the fee sits in the market.
- A lawyer’s opinion can be sought on the legal aspects of the contract; the tool does not provide a legal assessment.
- Onur Freelance is also a provider of SEO, website and Google Ads proposals. Our own proposal can be scored with this tool under the same rules; the weights are our recommendation and may be assessed differently according to the business’s priorities.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a charge for the proposal review tool?
No. The tool is free and requires no registration or email address. It can be used directly as soon as the page opens.
Are the selected answers saved anywhere?
No. The score is calculated in the browser and the answers are not sent to any server. If the WhatsApp button is clicked, only the score and the headings of unresolved criteria are added to the message draft; the message can be edited before it is sent.
How do you mark a criterion that is never mentioned in the proposal?
A criterion never mentioned in the proposal text is marked with the lowest option. Verbal promises are not included in the score, because only the criteria documented in writing provide a basis when the relationship ends or a disagreement arises.
What score indicates a good proposal?
A score of 80 or above indicates a written and comparable proposal. A score between 60 and 79 indicates significant gaps, and below 60 indicates an unclear proposal. If one of the threshold criteria is at the lowest level or a red flag is selected, the result is shown in red regardless of the score.
What does a ranking guarantee in an SEO proposal mean?
Google’s guide to choosing an SEO specialist states that no one can guarantee a first-place ranking on Google. If the proposal guarantees first place or a ranking by a specific date, this is marked as a red flag and the provider is asked in writing which method will be used to fulfill the promise.
Does the Google Ads management fee have to be listed separately?
Google’s third-party policy requires providers charging a management fee in addition to Google Ads costs to disclose this to the customer in writing and to report costs as the full amount charged by Google, excluding their own fees. Providing the Customer ID when requested is also mandatory.
Whose name should the domain be registered in for a website proposal?
When the domain and hosting are registered in the business’s own name, website ownership stays with the business and transfer becomes easier when it wants to work with another provider. The proposal must state in writing whose name registration will be in and the renewal fee from the second year onward.
Can an Onur Freelance proposal also be scored with this tool?
Yes. Our proposal can be scored against the same criteria as other proposals. Our monthly SEO service starts from 9,000 TL and a corporate website starts from 15,000 TL; the final fee is provided in a written proposal after a free preliminary assessment.
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